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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28529574">Better Than This</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>WTFock | Skam (Belgium)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Clingy Robbe IJzermans, Confused Robbe IJzermans, Good Boyfriend Robbe IJzermans, Good Boyfriend Sander Driesen, M/M, POV Robbe IJzermans, Robbe IJzermans Loves Sander Driesen, Sad Sander Driesen, Sander Driesen Loves Robbe IJzermans, Sander Driesen Needs a Hug, Sander Driesen/Robbe IJzermans Fluff, Sander Driesen/Robbe IJzermans In Love, Sweet Robbe IJzermans</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:27:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,043</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28529574</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I press my cheek to his forehead. Then, I press a kiss to his temple. <br/>And then he breaks.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sander Driesen/Robbe IJzermans</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Better Than This</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Quit smirking at me, I’m serious!”<br/>“I’m not smirking.” Sander replies. <br/>“Well, stop laughing at me.” <br/>“I’m not laughing!” I say. <br/>“Well, quit whatever it is you’re doing.”<br/>“This is me with a cheery disposition; a ray of sunshine in the mist of bleakness.” He replies.<br/>“Don’t put a cloud over my sunshine.”<br/>“It’s an excuse to laugh at me.” I respond.<br/>“RAIN CLOUD!” He says in defense.<br/>“Don’t make me your defense mechanism.”<br/>“Oh, really?” He questions.<br/>“What are you going to do?”<br/>“Mmnn?”<br/>“Kiss me?” He asks.<br/>“Oh no, I would never, nu uh!”<br/>“Get over here, you lazy hog!” He says as he reaches for me and plays with my hair.<br/>“Sure, annoying and persistent!”<br/>“I love you, Robbe, but if you say that again, I will have no choice, but to throw you out of the window.” He says as we both laugh.<br/>“If you do that, lovely sander of mine, I will take you with me.” He chuckles.<br/>“I know, that’s the proposition.” He says.<br/>“I know you’re kidding, so I’ll go along with your plan.”<br/>“Who would doubt the plan?” We laugh.<br/>“Surely not I.”<br/>“Absolutely not.” He replies.</p><p>“You’re thinking again.” I say.<br/>“How can you tell?” <br/>“How can Mother Nature…Mother.” We both laugh.<br/>He points his finger at me -“I’m holding on to you.” He says.<br/>“Good, I’m doing the same.” I say as I kiss his nose.<br/>“You’re too cute, you know that.” He says as he kisses my nose.<br/>“I’ve been told.”<br/>“By who?” He asks.<br/>“I might need to have a conversation with them.”<br/>“By little chipmunks.”<br/>“You’re too cute.”<br/>“You said that already.” I say.<br/>“I know, I just thought it was worth mentioning twice.” He says.<br/>“Good call.” I say as he wraps his arms around my waist and places a kiss on the top of my head.</p><p>"Your smiles are contagious." Sander says.<br/>"Don't worry, I'm vaccinated." He chuckles with me.<br/>"Good, I'd hate to have to go to the doctor." He says.<br/>"Rightio!" He says.<br/>I watch as he looks at his phone and opens his texts.<br/>"Britt still texting?" I ask; slightly concerned.<br/>"Yeah, she can't take a hint." He says.<br/>I step away from him and sigh. I groan into my hands as he walks over to me.<br/>"Come on, Robbe."<br/>"I told her everything, okay?" <br/>I nod and sit down on a chair as Sander follows me.<br/>"It's not my fault if she doesn't understand." He says.<br/>"Is there nothing you can do?" I ask him.<br/>"I mean...I guess I could tell her again, but then she would go into the whole argument again..."Which is?" "'You don't know what you're talking about; you'll come to your senses sooner than later...and blah, blah,blah!" We both start laughing at how ridiculous she is.<br/>"Don't worry, hopefully she'll take a hint soon." We both sigh.<br/>"What?" I ask.<br/>"Like in the New Age." We chuckle and try to forget the conversation.</p><p>"We're now!" Sander protested as it became clear that I'm not going to change my mind.<br/>"Now...never!" I yell.<br/>"I do not know with you!" I raise my voice.<br/>"I'm telling you, please?" He asks.<br/>"Oh, you're telling me...I feel so much better." I say sarcastically.<br/>"Robbe..." He continues.<br/>"And, god forbid, I should believe you!" I yell as I slam the door shut to our bedroom.<br/>I hear him knocking at our door and I knock back; it's our way of communicating when we don't want to.<br/>"Please, talk to me?" He asks.<br/>"Maybe..."<br/>"Is what I did so terrible?"<br/>"Yes, Sander, it is, I thought I could trust you."<br/>"You can."<br/>"Maybe...in another world, or another time, but..."<br/>"Don't do this, Robbe, I only had lunch with her to show her that I'm happy with you."<br/>"To try to get her to understand, I'm just trying to do what you said, okay?"<br/>I open the door and let him into my arms.<br/>"Okay."<br/>"And I won't do it again, I don't even want to see her again." His voice is muffled against my sweatshirt.<br/>"Okay." I say.<br/>"Okay?" He asks.<br/>"Okay." I repeat back.</p><p>"Sander, what's wrong?" I ask him.<br/>"Nothing." He manages to say between breathes.<br/>He's breathing deeply and his pulse is getting slower.<br/>"Please, tell me what's wrong?" I ask again.<br/>I try to hold him closer, but he wraps his arms around my hips instead, his head falling into my lap. I start to brush his hair and try to stay calm enough, so I won't make him worry. <br/>I press my cheek to his forehead. Then, I press a kiss to his temple. <br/>And then he breaks.<br/>Shaking violently, shattering in my arms, a million gasping, choking pieces that I'm trying so hard to hold together. And so, I promise myself then, in that moment, that I will hold him forever, just like this, until all of the pain and sorrow and suffering is gone, until he's given a chance to live the kind of life where no one can wound him this deeply ever again.</p><p>Epilogue</p><p>"So...you're happy about this?" I ask.<br/>He doesn't answer right away. <br/>"I am not unhappy." Sander replies.<br/>I climb into his lap, cup his face into my hands, tilting his chin up, so I can see his eyes, I'm smiling a stupid smile. <br/>"I think that's so wonderful." I tell him.<br/>"Do you?" He asks. <br/>I nod; over and over again. I kiss him once, very softly.<br/>Sander closes his eyes, smiles slightly, his cheek dimpled on one side, he looks more sure now. <br/>"How strange this all has become." He says. <br/>I feel like I might die of happiness.<br/>"Why are you so happy?" He asks me; trying not to laugh.<br/>"You're practically thrilled." <br/>"I want you to be happy." I tell him, my eyes searching for his.<br/>"I want you to have a family."<br/>"I want you to be surrounded by people who care about you." I say.<br/>"You deserve that."<br/>"I have you." He says, resting his forehead against mine; his eyes shut.<br/>"You should have more than me."<br/>"No." He whispers and shakes his head; his nose grazing mine.<br/>"Yes."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading. Leave kudos if you like my story. Have a great day! 🐍</p></blockquote></div></div>
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